FA Cup preview: Chelmsford City’s dream starts here!

By Matt Badcock

CHELMSFORD CITY v WESTON-S-MARE

Saturday December 6, Kick-off: 3pm

Aneglo Harrop believes Chelmsford City’s star names have shown they can perform in the big games – and they’ll need to again if they’re to reach the FA Cup third round.

The Clarets are at the start of a journey owner Spencer Gore hopes will take them to the Premier League by 2038.

But there’s already an opportunity for the new full-timers to create club history when they host fellow National League South outfit Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.

With high-profile arrivals in the summer including former Nottingham Forest striker Lyle Taylor, Harrop’s side arguably start as favourites despite their opponents’ higher league position.

A win over leaders Hornchurch boosted Chelmsford’s cause before back-to-back defeats to Salisbury and Hemel Hempstead Town served as a reminder of the levels they need to hit.

“The last two games in our league has been all about mentality,” Harrop said. “Look at our performance when we beat Hornchurch and Braintree. We were worthy winners.

“We’ve got players who have played in big games and that experience is absolutely key. When you’re playing in front of 3,500-4,000 at Chelmsford, you’ve got to stand up and be counted. Hopefully that can make a big difference for us.

DERBY DELIGHT: Chelmsford celebrate their win over rivals Braintree Town in the last round

Sicky feeling

“We’re tenth in the league and, for me, we haven’t been consistent. We’ve had some amazing games. We’ve had some games where we’ve been poor.

“But what are you expecting when you put 20 new players together? We’ve got a chance to be in the third round of the FA Cup – it’s a good time to be at Chelmsford. We’ve just got to have the patience and trust the process.

“No one is entitled to get promoted or get in the third round. You have to work at it.”

Harrop’s side knocked out his former employers Braintree Town in their Essex derby in the first round and the boss says things feel less nervy this time.

“The fact we got Braintree was crazy,” Harrop said. “It sounds selfish but it was very personal because I knew what was at stake with it all. It was a feeling I don’t like to have – it was a sicky feeling.

“This one I am more excited about. It’s like an actual FA Cup tie and it’s about the progression. We should be fully motivated for a game like this. It’s one of those where, if you get beat you were so close.

“Look, we will go into it with loads of confidence.

“We’ve played Weston already, we drew 0-0 away, and we’ve changed our team around quite a lot already. The other fact is, the bigger the game is, we seem to thrive off it.”

Not that he needs telling how much of a threat Weston will be to their hopes.

“I’ve said in all my interviews there are no easy games in this league and it proves it every week where there are some really strange results,” Harrop said.

“But it’s a chance to make history at our football club. Which is incredible considering we’ve only been together four months.

“With our fanbase, I don’t think any team in our league would fancy themselves going away to Chelmsford. They know what we can do. We’ve got to be confident but we’ve got to have the right mentality.”